The First to Die at the End

The narrator shifts to Joaquin Rosa, the creator of Death-Cast. It is midnight on July 31, 2010, and people are afraid now that Death-Cast is going live. He has not told anyone how his company can predict death.

When Death-Cast first appeared, Joaquin told the government everything because he thought it was important and wanted government support. He is somewhat concerned they will misuse Death-Cast’s power.

Now, he’s in New York, getting ready to make Death-Cast’s first call. He wants people to be able to tie up loose ends before they die. He has felt what it is like to be surprised by a death. The call center in Death-Cast’s headquarters is specifically designed to be a soothing place to balance the difficulty of the work that happens there. His wife and son are with him too.

He picks up the phone, ready to make Death-Cast’s first call to tell someone they’re going to die within the next 24 hours.

At 12:01 a.m., Death-Cast calls. Orion believes it is calling him, and he begins to panic. He doesn’t want to die. However, it is not his phone ringing; it is Valentino’s.